The future of work:
Moneyball 2.0 - What virtual reality means for MLB

Organizations like Major League Baseball (MLB) are using their workspaces and technology to create environments where employees are engaged, enabled, and empowered. This is the Future of Work.

Virtual training, real baseball results

As a student assistant to legendary basketball coach Bill Self at the University of Kansas, Brendan Reilly had a front-row seat to observe how athletes did – or didn’t – embrace training methods. Years later, he is the CEO of EON Sports, a leader in using virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to train athletes. From his high-tech vantage point, he is already living in the Future of Work, and he has advice for companies ready to embark on the same journey.

How technology is powering the employee experience

“Technology powers the Future of Work,” says best-selling author and futurist Jacob Morgan. Communication, collaboration, innovation – those things cannot scale without technology.” Morgan teamed with researchers and data scientists to develop the Employee Experience Index, which quantifies how companies can use their culture, workspace, and technology to create an environment where employees truly want to work. Here are Morgan’s ACE attributes for tech:

Availability to everybody
All workers need access to all tools as soon as possible.

Consumer-grade technology
Companies should borrow a page from Netflix or Facebook to make tech sleek, simple, and useful.

Meeting employee needs
The days of the IT department approving a piece of technology by decree must end.

Using AR to transform the fan experience

MLB teams already inspire passionate loyalty from their fans. The next step will be to use AR to engage them during the game, on their own devices, to create a more personal and dynamic experience. Here are ways new technology is transforming the old ball game:

Statistics
Fans will be able to see real-time player and game play stats overlaid onto the field as part of MLB.com’s At Bat app as early as the 2018 season.

Tickets
Soon, unsold seats may be available mid-game for fans using AR.

Concessions
Using real-time data, AR can direct fans to the fastest concessions experience or targeted deals at the team store.

Scoreboard
Picture a giant Jumbotron tailored to each fan’s preferences.